The Last Unicorns
by BoyFlea
Summary: Hagrid is forced to help the Ministry fight a muggle problem.


The Last Unicorns.

It was high summer at Hogwarts. The afternoons were long and drowsy like Dumbledore's private collection of bees. Hagrid and Filch remained to tend the grounds around Hogwarts. Hagrid got on well with Filch, but Filch usually disappeared early in the day to enjoy the delights of cricket on his muggle radio and usually Hagrid was by himself, tending the animals in his care.

His classes had been becoming more successful and enjoyable and Hagrid enjoyed the prospect of teaching. A shadow fell over him as he cleaned out the stables. Hagrid turned and noted Dumbledore and a Ministry of Magic official. It did not bode well, he thought.

"Afternoon Albus," said Hagrid politely.

"Afternoon Hagrid. This is Mr. Poodle."

"You can call me Bert though," grinned the Ministry man. Hagrid mistrusted him already.

"Aye. Hello then Mr. Poodle. An' what can I be doing for you then?"

"It's not easy to say this Hagrid, but we have a problem," explained Dumbledore.

Mr Poodle stepped in. "Hagrid, I am here to help quarantine against foot n' mouth."

"Foot n' mouth ye say?" snarled Hagrid. "Well, that's nothing tae do with my lizards now is it?"

"I realise that. It's not in here, but in the forest."

"Oh aye?"

"The Unicorns, Hagrid," said Dumbledore plainly.

Hagrid thought. "But there's nae risk here, surely? It's a muggle problem!"

"More a problem here than you might realise," said Mr. Poodle sternly.

"Oh aye? And why's that then 'Bert'?"

"Look, there's no reason to be nasty to me! A lot of people have suffered because of the outbreak."

Hagrid stopped. "Sorry. I just get upset easily," he smiled. "So, what's the plan then, Bert?"

Dumbledore and Mr. Poodle paused to look at each other. Then Dumbledore said "We may have to cull the Unicorn population."

"What? Surely there's no real threat –"

"Have you seen the effects this disease has on Centaurs Hagrid?" butted in Bert.

"Why no."

"It's not nice. Kills a lot of 'em it does. In animals and cattle, it's like the flu. Thing is, the disease is a death curse of old for the Centaurs."

"Really?"

Dumbledore added "Hagrid, the world used to be full of Centaurs. An old war, long forgotten now but believed to be caused by one of Voldemort's forebears, spawned this curse against the Centaurs. Almost wiped them out globally over the span of a single generation. Imagine that Hagrid."

"And the Centaurs in the forest are frit. They think the Unicorns might carry it to them, is that it?" said Hagrid. Bert and Dumbledore nodded. "So how do we round them up then?"

Bert Poodle pulled out a small, slim suitcase and opened it up on a nearby food table. Inside was a small brass horn. 

"A lure?" sneered Hagrid.

"More than a lure Hagrid. This little beauty will round up every unicorn in a ten mile radius. Then we'll check them over and take it from there."

Filch was dragged away from his muggle radio to help Bert and Hagrid clear and fence off a large area of the outer sports fields. The next morning Hagrid, Filch, Bert and Dumbledore were out in the vast pen, surveying their work.

"This is madness. If one's got it, then the forest will need cleaning too! Are we gonna torch it too?" asked Hagrid. 

Bert shook his head. "The Centaurs have taken care of that. It's only the Unicorns they fear now."

"Well, let's get this all over with then. I've got other things to tend to," muttered Filch.

Bert Poodle put the small brass horn to his lips and blew. A few seconds later, he put the horn back in his briefcase. "Now we wait," he added.

"We're going to have to kill them, aren't we?" sighed Hagrid.

Dumbledore looked away but Bert nodded. "That we are."

"Even if they are healthy, right?"

"I don't make the rules Hagrid. We've got a pen of quarantined Unicorns at Beauxbatons ready to ship over by late autumn to replace the cull."

"So ye have already decided then? Ye bastards!" cried Hagrid.

"Look, what can we bloody do? Those Centaurs need to be protected. Bloody hell Hagrid. If it t'were humans and sheep, which would you kill off, eh?" snapped Bert. Silence fell on the foursome.

At mid-day, a proud and noble unicorn stud lead his herd of twenty Unicorns sedately into the arena. Three more herds appeared and Hagrid tended them all, giving them food and hay. Hagrid was tearful when Bert announced that it was time to shut the gates on them. 

"Don't look like there's anymore left in the forest," sighed Bert.

"A last supper for the wee buggers then," sniffed Hagrid.

Dumbledore and Filch comforted Hagrid as Bert began chalking out the sigils for the destruction of the Unicorns. The proud stud stared into Hagrid's eyes as Bert finished off the preparations. The beautiful creature nuzzled against Hagrid's trembling hand until Hagrid could bear it no more and retired to his lodgings. Dumbledore nodded to Bert as Filch pulled out two bottles of whiskey from his personal bag and went off to join Hagrid.

The ceremony was mercifully short and abrupt. Bert and Dumbledore cast incantations over the sigils until they glowed with their fiery charge. Then once all were charged, a single word from Bert caused a flash of light to pulse inwards from all of the sigils. This light erased the Unicorns utterly and painlessly. Bert and Dumbledore retired to Hagrid's room to see what was left of the whiskey.

The summer ended.

It was a new term at Hogwarts, but Hagrid could not be seen by Harry and his friends. Hagrid had gone out into the forest to settle in the new herd of Unicorns. As he did so, two Centaurs galloped towards him. 

"It must be painful to kill those you care for," one uttered.

Hagrid nodded.

"My sister was killed by the disease. I understand your burden," the other one stated awkwardly.

Hagrid tried to thank them for their sympathy, but they had already turned and retreated into the forest.

"Bloody politics. No more, no less," sneered Hagrid and returned to Hogwarts, leaving his faith in the Ministry behind with the last of the Unicorns.

THE END

Disclaimer: The characters and setting are all thanks to J. K. Rowling. I claim no ownership of these characters, though the events I put them through are all mine.

Also, if you like good stories, then try out ***~*Ginny*~***'s new website at [http://blazingquills.tripod.com/][1] and check out my mate **Bythra**'s new story. Cheers.

   [1]: http://blazingquills.tripod.com/



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